Rubbery situations in last round of season 2014

Dead or alive? There are dead rubbers, rubbers that are lifeless but not dead and rubbers that do not yet know they are dead or alive, then the rubber that bristles with life. Dead, alive or the living dead informs whether you play alive or dead.

Hawthorn-Collingwood is a living dead rubber. Collingwood seldom defeats Hawthorn with strong teams and this team is anything but strong even if the Pies sound like Monty Python's Black Knight publicly trying to convince others as much as themselves that they are not mortally wounded.

Having won in the penultimate round, Hawthorn can well afford to rest a few of its stars against Collingwood. Photo: Getty Images

Theoretically Collingwood can make the eight if it wins. Theoretically England can win another soccer World Cup, too.

In 2011 Hawthorn was due to play the Gold Coast in the last game of the year. The Gold Coast was about to have its first Mad Monday ever after three wins; the Hawks about to play finals. Hawthorn rested Buddy, Cyril, Hodge, Lewis, Sewell, Bailey and Birchall – and won. Comfortably.

Alastair Clarkson said at the weekend he liked the continuity of the group playing together before finals and maybe the experience of 2011, when they rested seven in the last round but ended up losing the preliminary final, informs the view that resting is not as attractive as it sounds. Regardless it would seem more beneficial than detrimental to rest several players.

Matt Suckling's knee should keep him out and while Jack Gunston came back on after hurting an ankle on Saturday night it would be pointless to push him to play. Cyril Rioli is not ready yet but Luke Hodge and his battle-weary body looked tired in the Cats game and he would get more value out of missing than playing. Brian Lake, on the other hand, is a little too rested from his recent "Brian moment" and needs to play more games than couch time.

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Whether others such as Shaun Burgoyne, Sam Mitchell or Grant Birchall would benefit from a break is the keener debating point. Hawthorn in 2014 is a better side than the 2011 team and has safeguarded second place by defeating Geelong. There is little risk in resting a handful of players.

Sydney-Richmond is more of a live game than Collingwood-Hawthorn. Richmond has ninth to play for. Okay, eighth, too. The Tigers' exciting romp to the last round has meant there is everything in this game for them and far less in it for Sydney.

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John Longmire strikes one as a coach more leaning to the full throttle Denis Pagan school on such matters and would be hesitant to countenance leaving good players out before the finals. Playing a side desperate to win, with the risk of losing at home on the ground on which it will play next week, and where it seldom plays well in any event, would be a worse preparation than playing one or two players who might have liked a week off.

Besides, Kurt Tippett spent most of Sunday's last quarter on the bench, so that is enough.

Carlton-Essendon is a live rubber for Essendon, dead rubber for Carlton and live rubber for Carlton fans. For Blues fans there is no such thing as a dead-rubber Essendon game. Indeed were they to win and force Essendon to eighth on percentage, behind whichever of Richmond, Adelaide or West Coast managed to make the finals, it would be a late-season consolation.

For the Dons a loss and potentially finishing eighth would mean travelling to Perth or Adelaide instead of playing North at home in a final. And for Essendon there is no bad time to beat Carlton.

North cannot in good conscience lose to Melbourne. Daniel Wells has only just come back from injury so he needs games not rest. Drew Petrie or Todd Goldstein would be used sparingly if not given a break.

Geelong plays Brisbane Lions at home. They should win and won't tool around with the side too much. Win and the Cats play Hawthorn – again – in the qualifying final. Lose and they would have to travel to Sydney.

Freo-Port is the most alive of the live rubbers. Whichever wins gets fourth place and a double chance. Sure fifth place is a home final, but it is also an Elimination Final. They both want fourth.

West Coast and Adelaide could both play live or dead rubbers. Presuming Richmond and Collingwood have already lost by the time they play then both games are live. If not they are as dead as, well, the Dogs and Giants. At least by Sunday they will know if they have everything to play for or nothing.